Single Stage Autologous Minced Cartilage Implantation for Chondral Defects of the Knee: A Case Series

Introduction: Autologous minced cartilage implantation (MCI) is an emerging single-stage technique for treating cartilage defects of the knee joint. This retrospective study evaluates the functional outcomes and safety of autologous MCI in patients with focal cartilage defects in the knee. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on five patients who underwent autologous MCI for International Cartilage Repair Society Grade 3 and 4 cartilage defects of the knee between 2022 and 2024. Autologous MCI involved harvesting autologous cartilage from the defect margins, mincing it, and implanting it into the lesion in a single procedure. Patient records were reviewed for demographic data, surgical details, and functional outcome scoring metrics preoperatively and 12 months post-surgery. Primary outcomes were assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-12, Tegner Activity Scale and Visual Analog Scale. Results: Significant improvement in the functional scores was noted at the end of 1 year. The mean Visual Analog Scale pain score decreased from 6.76 ± 0.56 preoperatively to 2.30 ± 0.47 at 1 year, indicating substantial pain reduction. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score 12 improved significantly from 46.2 ± 4.66 preoperatively to 80.8 ± 4.87 at 12 months follow-up. The Tegner Activity Score improved from 2 ± 0.71 to 4.4 ± 0.55 within the same time period, with most patients returning to moderate recreational activities. Conclusion: This retrospective study demonstrates that autologous MCI is a safe and effective treatment for knee cartilage defects, yielding sustained functional improvements over a 1-year period. Despite the retrospective design, these findings support autologous MCI as a viable alternative to existing cartilage repair techniques. Prospective, randomized trials are needed to validate these results and compare autologous MCI with other treatment modalities.